Vermont

Peter Shumlin
Governor

Peter Shumlin was inaugurated as the 81st Governor of Vermont on January 6, 2011. 

In his inaugural address, Governor Shumlin pledged to make greater economic security for Vermonters the guiding principle of his Administration, and to focus on five goals. They include expanding broadband to provide connectivity across the entire state; containing health care costs through a single-payer systems that provides affordable, universal health insurance; educating the state’s workforce both in its schools and workforce; providing tax fairness and credit for emerging businesses through tax policy that grows the customer base and wealth and helps provide access to capital; and supporting a renaissance of Vermont’s agriculture.

Governor Shumlin comes to this office from the Vermont State Senate where he served from 1992-2002 and again from 2006 to 2010, and where he was chosen as president pro-tempore.  As a state Senator, Peter Shumlin made climate change and reducing Vermont's dependence on foreign oil a central issue for the legislature.  He also presided over the successful Telecommunications bill that aims to promote job creation by bringing broadband internet to all Vermonters, and was instrumental in negotiating an education financing reform bill.  Prior elective offices include the Vermont State House of Representatives from 1990 ?1992, and his first political office, at age 24, serving for seven years as chair of the Putney Board of Selectmen.

Governor Shumlin was born in March 1956 and graduated from Wesleyan University in 1979.  When the legislature is not in session, Governor Shumlin co-directs with his brother the family travel business which facilitates high school students traveling abroad to participate in educational community service projects, cultural immersion, language, global action and pre-college.

Governor Shumlin and his wife Deborah have two daughters, Rebecca and Olivia.